Pulled Back In
by Haleybug52
Summary: She left four years ago for her own team and undercover, leaving behind the love of her life. She's back, and her case is crossing paths with the OSP. How will Callen take her coming back? How will she trust her old team when she is left trusting few?
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the NCIS: Los Angeles characters._

Chapter One:

It had been four years. Four years since she had left Los Angeles for her own team and undercover operation, now she was back from being half-way across the world, and she was back with determination to end what her team had started.

Alex walked in the new OSP headquarters; everything had changed since she had left NCIS Office of Special Projects four years ago. Instead of the professional looking building they had once occupied, they now had an abandoned Spanish style mansion. The team had lost Mace, they had brought in a new member, and then he was gone, killed by terrorists. Now a LAPD liaison was with the team. Nate had left for a while, but now he was back, only because of her, Hetty knew that Alex would need someone to talk to about what had happened in Ireland, and for now, her and Callen talking just wasn't an option.

The doors opened and Alex heard voices as she stepped through, most vaguely familiar. She ignored them, heading straight towards Hetty's office. Nate came up as she walked. "It's good to have you back Alex" he said quietly. She felt eyes on her, the room was now silent.

"I don't know if it's good to be back Nate" she replied quietly as she stepped into a small room. A small desk was there, and a small woman was sitting behind it drinking a cup of tea.

"Ah, you found your way here, I was afraid I would have to send Mr. Getz to come searching for you. It's good to have you back" Hetty said kindly.

"Thank you, Hetty" Alex said. She looked at Nate and then back to the small woman. "I would like to see what you have so far, I have read the reports, but it would help me if I see it in person" she replied. Hetty nodded.

"Right this way Miss Williams, Nate, keep Mr. Callen and his team busy, I don't want them wondering who our guest is just yet. They won't realize who she is, she looks quite different. Eric and Miss Jones will be able to help us more than the team. Right this way Miss Williams" Hetty replied standing and leading Alex past Callen and his team and up the stairs towards the Ops center. Nate joined Callen and the others.

"Who's our guest Nate?" Callen asked watching the redheaded woman carefully as she followed Hetty.

Nate shrugged saying "One of the many people that Hetty knows", he hated lying to them, but he was more scared of Hetty then he was of Callen and the others. "What are you not telling us Nate?" Callen asked just as Eric came out of the Ops center looking like a punished puppy.

"Hetty kicked me out! Me! Why does Nell get to stay while I get kicked out?" Eric said.

"Something is definitely going on" Callen said, his eyes staying on the doors to the Ops center.

"Thanks Hetty, I don't want them to know just yet" Alex said pulling the red wig off and letting her straight blonde hair cascade down her shoulders.

"Not a problem Miss Williams, I will see that Miss Jones helps you with whatever you need. Miss Jones, none of the others need to know that her real name is Alex Williams; her name for now is Elizabeth Briars, until she is ready to let them know who she really is. Help her with whatever she needs, and make sure the others don't get anywhere near here" Hetty said before walking out.

"You can call me Nell" said the short red head that looked like a pixie.

"Alex" she said before going up to the screen and looking at the screen. "Can you pull up the footage Eric found of the killing Nell?" she asked. Nell nodded before going over to the computer and typing on a few keys before it came up on the screen.

"Play it please" she said watching the screen intently as it played. Alex watched a struggled unfold and then the sleeve of the Navy Commander came up. "Stop" she said and the video froze.

Alex used her fingers to enhance the image on the screen. "Can you clean up the image so it doesn't look so pixilated?"

After a few more types on the computer keys the image came in at better quality. "Go get Hetty Nell. Now" she said a little more sharply than she intended. Nell briskly walked away with a nod and out the Ops center.

Callen watched Nell come out and come over to them. "Where's Hetty?" she asked him.

"Her office, why?" Callen asked, but he didn't get an answer considering she walked quickly away.

"Hetty, A-Elizabeth needs you now, she found something we missed" Nell said as she walked back up towards the Ops center, Hetty by her side.

As they walked in, they found Alex staring intently at the screen. "What is it Miss Williams?" Hetty asked coming to stand beside her, staring at the screen.

"Your Navy Commander was part of the Irish Mafia. This mark, it's a tattoo they have. The American-Irish have one kind of tattoo, while the regular Irish Mafia has one that's similar, but it's much more complex. Yours was a part of the American-Irish Mafia" Alex replied staring at the screen.

"You were taught all of this while undercover?" Hetty asked. Alex nodded.

"Ian Hemingway loved Liza Myers very much, he taught her everything she needed to know about them" Alex said turning to look at Hetty.

"So you know all about them?" Hetty asked. Alex nodded, saying, "Ian was very trusting when it came to Liza, even from the beginning, he wanted her to lead if something ever happened to him. Therefore, he taught her all of the Mafia's secrets".

"Who was Liza Myers?" Nell asked from behind them.

"I was" Alex said glancing at her before turning back to the screen. Hetty and Alex exchanged a look and the blonde woman nodded.

"Nell, go get Mr. Callen and his team, tell them we have new information concerning the case. Tell Mr. Beale he can come back into his sanctuary. We will need him to help with this new breakthrough" Hetty said.

Nell nodded and left. Hetty turned to look at Alex.

"I understand this is going to be difficult, not just this case, but seeing the team again. Nate will be available for you whenever, if you ever wish to talk about what happened over in Ireland Miss Williams" Hetty said.

Alex nodded as the doors opened. Callen and her old team stepped through the doors; Eric and Nate close behind them. When they registered her their eyes grew wide with recognition. Callen's blue eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

"Hi" she said softly looking at her old team. They said nothing, everyone staring at her, all in shock, except for Nate, Hetty, Nell, and a shaggy blonde haired man.

Eric was the first to come out of the shock. He came up to her and gave her a high-five. "Ice is back!" he said happily with a big goofy grin on his face.

Alex rolled her eyes at the old nickname the team had given her. What they didn't know was that after everything she had been through in the past four years, the name suited her more now than ever, her heart and turned into ice, and it would take a long time for it to even begin to thaw, even in the sunny Los Angeles climate.

Kensi was next. She rushed forward and gave her a huge hug that left Alex wincing slightly in pain. She quickly masked it and put a small smile on her face as she began to ask "What exotic place where you whisked off to this time?"

"Not now Miss Blye" Hetty said softly but firmly. Alex shot a grateful look at her.

Sam came forward and the huge Navy Seal wrapped her in a hug. "Good to have you back Ice" he said knowing how much she had hated the name before. "Thanks Sam" she said softly, her gaze turning to look into Callen's beautiful blue eyes. She saw the pain that he was trying to hide, and she knew she had hurt him when she chose to leave for her own undercover and team rather than to stay with him.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something to him, the shaggy blonde haired man came forward. "Officer Marty Deeks, at your service" he said with a smile.

"Alex Williams, nice to meet you" she said kindly shaking his hand. When she turned her gaze back to Callen she saw he wasn't looking at her.

"Miss Williams, as you can see, is back from her extensive, deep undercover assignment. The only problem, her case now overlaps with ours. She has been on this for four years, Agent Callen, I expect you to let her take the lead on this, she knows much more about it then we do. Miss Williams would you like to take over with the explanation now?" she asked stepping out of the way.

Callen and his team gathered around the table in the middle. Out the corner of her eye Alex saw Callen grip the side of the table so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Four years ago I was sent undercover as a photographer named Liza Myers to Ireland. My mission: to get close to the leader of the Irish Mafia, and when the time came, my team would come in and extract me, arrest Ian Hemingway, and take down both the Irish Mafia and the one based here, in America" she started, nodding to Nell. Suddenly, two pictures came up.

One of a middle aged man with brown hair that curled at the ends with hazel eyes, and one of Alex, but instead of her blonde hair and ice blue eyes, she had black hair and the eyes the color of emeralds.

"Liza Myers, I, caught Ian Hemingway's attention immediately. We got close; he began to share his secrets with me. Liza, in turn, told him her secrets. He proposed, she accepted, they got married. The Irish Mafia is like a family, Ian was the father figure, and when Liza came into the picture as Liza Hemingway, she became the mother figure. Now that she was his wife, Ian entrusted her with everything about his 'business'. He trusted her so much that after a year he told her everything, if anything ever happened to him, she would take over as the leader of the Irish Mafia. I wasn't getting the information I needed just yet, so I stayed in, even when my team wanted to make the extraction. I stayed in for two more years. Six months ago, Ian gave me the information I needed to make the arrest. I called in my team. That's when something went wrong."

Nell pulled up a video of a warehouse. Figures went in, then the warehouse exploded, and no figures came out.

"My team was coming to make the extraction. I had broken into Ian's office earlier, the one thing he didn't even trust his loving wife with. I got the rest of the information I needed, and then, I went to meet my team. They had a few Marines and Navy Seals with them to make sure I got out of there safely with the Intel. When I got there, the body of a young woman I recognized as one of the Mafia's hit mans wives was lying with a bullet in her head. I don't know what happened after that, it was all a blur. I was grabbed by the Navy Seals, my team and the Marines covered us. I was pushed down a tunnel, and the next thing I know, the place above me explodes with all my men and the others. I was the only survivor" Alex finished.

The pain was clear in her voice and her eyes, and Callen, despite all the anger her felt at her wanted to pull her into his arms.

"What about Liza Hemingway?" Kensi asked.

"The Mafia thought that the body was hers in the warehouse, they covered it up; said Liza died in a car crash that left her body burned beyond recognition after it crashed into a small forest, the ice had supposedly caused the crash. They thought the hit man's wife had run off with an old lover" she said before nodding to Nell. A newspaper article came up saying that the Irish socialite Ian Hemingway's wife had been killed. "They held a memorial for her; the entire Irish Mafia was there, Ian gave a lovely speech dedicating his love to his deceased wife, and they buried her in the Hemingway family's personal cemetery" she added.

"How does this cross paths with your case?" Callen asked for the first time.

Alex smiled. "Ian Hemingway's personal jet landed in Los Angeles early this morning. The man seen struggling with, and then killing your dead Navy Commander is his personal bodyguard, Aaron Michaelson. He spent three years being Liza Hemingway's personal bodyguard and friend. I've also received information from a very reliable informant that that there is more Intel concerning what I was sent to extract from Ian. Which means, I need the help of OSP to pull it off. In the end, you get your Navy Commanders killer, and I get what I have spent four years working on" she said as a picture of Ian and his bodyguard popped up.

Hetty's phone rang and she listened to it for a moment before her face turned grim. They all turned to look at her.

"I suggest you find whoever else is also responsible for this, and get your Intel quickly. There's been another murder, on another naval officer, thirty minutes ago" Hetty said grimly before turning and walking out of the Ops center.

**What did you guys think? Let me know.**

**~Haleybug **


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer in Chapter One_

Chapter Two:

Alex's ice blue eyes widened in shock. She obviously hadn't been expecting this.

"Let's go check out the crime scene" Callen told his team disappearing out the Ops center without a glance at Alex. The others looked from her to Callen before following their team leader.

"What are you thinking Alex?" Nate asked stepping up, seeing she was deep in thought.

"They don't operate like this Nate, something has triggered them to take action, and quickly. The Irish don't go and kill high valued targets; they stay underground, at least, in other countries. They plan ahead, this obviously wasn't planned, and a hit man wouldn't take out another Naval Officer so close after taking another one out. Eric, can you find any footage about the murder?" Alex asked turning to him. He nodded and started typing on his keys.

"All I can find for now Alex is that the Naval Officer's name was Fredrick Mason. He was from New York City, he enlisted right out of high school, and has been in the Navy ever since" Eric said bringing up a picture of the now dead Naval Officer.

"Can you find a link to the Commander and Officer Mason?"

"It may take me some time, but I'm pretty sure I can find one if one exists" he said.

"Let Nell help you, you'll find something sooner if there's two of you instead of one. Let me know right when you find one, then you can tell Callen, but I'm the first to be told" she said, Nell jumped right into it, Nell and Eric exchanging looks after hearing her comment about telling Callen only after she had been told.

"No wonder they wanted to give you your own team, you're a natural" Nate said.

Alex looked at him with pain in her eyes. "If I was a natural my team wouldn't be dead" she whispered before walking out the Ops center. Eric and Nell looked over at Nate before going back to what they were doing.

Alex sat on the couch, face buried in her hands. She relived that day in Ireland again, like she always did. She didn't know how long she sat there, but then she heard a voice. "How long are you sticking around for this time?"

Looking up she saw it was Callen. "So now you're going to start talking to me. What did you find at the crime scene?" she asked.

"You didn't answer my question" he said.

"Answer mine and then, maybe I'll answer yours" she said. He sighed.

"Nothing really. Our killer didn't leave behind any evidence that could help. All we found was a piece of paper in Officer Mason's pocket in his uniform" he said pulling out a bag that had a scrap of paper in it. She reached for the bag but he snatched it away.

"Now you get to answer my question" he said narrowing his blue eyes.

Alex sighed. "I'll be here until we catch whoever did this, and whoever murdered my men. Then I'll go wherever the Director orders me to go. Just like last time" she said.

"You use to be the one who didn't follow orders, why become a stickler for the rules now?" Callen asked.

"Rules have a fine line. On one side is life, on the other is death, break the rules and you could be seconds away from death rather than life" Alex said slowly.

After a while of sitting there Callen said, "Why did you leave?"

She turned to look at him. "I did my part, your team was the ultimate team. Yes, I loved being here. Yes, I loved you, but then I realized that as much as I loved you, you were better off without me. We both have dark pasts Callen, some of it we didn't even tell each other. I saw the way you worked with your team, with me, and I wanted it. Remember the last operation we did together?"

He nodded. He remembered it well. They had been compromised, and a man had been holding a gun to Alex's head, ready to pull the trigger. That's when he knew he loved her more than anything in the world, and that's why he dropped his gun and told the man to take him instead of her.

"You let your emotions get in the way. You dropped your gun, took your vest off, and told him to kill you instead of me. Callen, after everything we said, about letting one another go, if we were shot or killed or captured, we wouldn't let our emotions get in the way, we would do what the other asked. You didn't do that Callen. I knew then that if we continued to work together, then one of us would get killed because of our feelings. So, while you were in the hospital, I went to Hetty and the Director and asked them to switch me to a different team. They refused, saying I wasn't going to be a part of a team, I was going to lead one in Ireland. So I took it. You would be safer that way" she said looking at him.

"I also realized that even before you took the bullet that was meant for me you would do it over and over again. You wouldn't honor my word; you would never stand by and watch me die like that. I realized that if I had to, I would, if that's what you wanted. It would probably be the end of me, but I would do what you asked. I would let them shoot you instead of me. Callen, you had more feelings for me then I ever could. I was still caught up in my past, still am, but you've seemed to have moved on, something I wish I could say I've done, but I can't. You're a better person then I am Callen, you always have and you always will be" she said looking at his team work.

"How much do you know about everything that's gone on here since you've left?" he asked her quietly.

"I know Mace is dead, you brought in a new agent to take my place and he was killed protecting Sam when you all went to rescue him after he was captured and tortured by terrorist. I know you now have a LAPD liaison, and I know that you were shot and nearly killed in a driveby" she said searching his face.

"Well, I have a lot more to tell you" he said softly.

"I may take you up on that offer one day" she said just as softly as she did.

There was whistle and they both looked up. Eric and Nell were standing side by side on the stairs. "We have something" they said in unison.

**Next chapter you will see what they found. Hope you enjoyed. It seems that Alex has a lot of skeletons in her closest, as does Callen. Maybe she'll open up to him instead of Nate…gives you something to think about. Anyway I do love reviews, so hit the little review button please.**

**-Haleybug**


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer in Chapter One._

Chapter Three:

Alex jumped up and was already at the bottom of the stairs before Callen got up. He followed Alex, Kensi, Sam, Deeks, and Nate following close behind him. Callen watched Alex as she walked, there was determination in her stride, and a confidence that you couldn't tell was there before.

Callen and his team were standing in the Ops center, Alex standing ahead of them. He could see clearly that the gears in her head were turning quickly, processing everything, and going back in her mind to see if anything could lead back to the Irish Mafia.

"There was no clear link to the Commander and Officer Mason until we dug a little deeper. Then we found this" Eric said spinning around in his chair and tapping keys on his tablet.

Both the Commander's and Officer Mason's childhood records came up. "They were both in the foster system; both were adopted into the same family. The McKinley's. Digging around in the McKinley's information we found out that the husband, Steven's, father came from Ireland in the 1940's. He married Johanna Reynolds in July 1985. And we found something interesting" said Eric.

A picture of a man came up and they noticed one thing. The picture was an autopsy shot.

"Steven McKinley was killed in a car crash six years ago. When the coroner did the autopsy, this is what he found" Nell said zooming in on a tattoo that the Commander had as well.

"He was part of the American-Irish Mafia" Alex said. Turning to Callen she said "Did you find a tattoo like this on Officer Mason?"

Callen shook his head.

"Then they must be tying up loose ends. The Irish do that very well. Eric, Nell, look for anything that could have triggered for the Irish to want to take out the family. Callen, can you bring Mrs. McKinley to the boat shed? I'd like to have a talk with her" Alex said.

Eric and Nell nodded and began to type away. Callen and Alex stared at each other. Finally, Callen walked out. Sam and Deeks followed. Kensi began to follow, but Alex said "Kensi, I'm going to need your help".

Kensi stopped and came up to Alex. "Can you use your resources out at Camp Pendleton to find out if a Lieutenant Mark Hanson is still stationed out there? I want this kept between us though" she asked.

Kensi nodded saying, "Sure Alex. I'll let you know when I find out", then she walked out.

Callen watched as Kensi came back down. "She's changed" Kensi commented as they all watched Alex walk down and head towards Hetty's office.

"It's been four years, of course she's changed" Callen commented.

"She acts like a true leader" Sam added.

"She is one" Callen said.

. . .

Alex walked into the once familiar boat shed. Four years was a long time for all of this to become different and not familiar. What she didn't want to admit was that she wanted to forget the cold air in Ireland, and come back to the sunny Los Angeles climate.

Callen and his team were standing around the TV with Nate watching Mrs. McKinley. She seemed nervous, and that didn't seem like the right response.

"Her body language screams that she's tense. She keeps twisting her wedding ring on her finger which gives off signs that she's nervous" Nate commented.

"Which means she could be hiding something" said a voice from behind them. Turning around they saw Alex standing there, her eyes surveying the woman on the screen.

Then she walked away from Callen and his team and into the room.

"Who are you? What am I here for?" Mrs. McKinley asked.

Alex calmly sat down and spread three pictures out on the table. One of her husband and one of each of her adopted sons. Her hand came up to her mouth in shock. Tears welling in her eyes.

Alex came around the table and grabbed the woman's wrist. Shoving the sleeve up Alex said "Nice tattoo. Same one your husband and sons have. Same one every person involved in the Irish Mafia has".

"I-I don't know what you're talking about" she said.

"That's where you're wrong. Your father-in-law was a part of the Irish Mafia before he moved to America. Your husband, always wanting to please his father, joined the Mafia. The two of you met, got married, and then adopted Franklin Mason and Benjamin Summers. Steven made you join the Mafia once you were married, and once Franklin and Benjamin were of age, they joined to please their father" she said softly.

"No, that's not true. I don't know what you're talking about" she said.

Alex rose and said "I know all about the Irish Mafia. They recruit whole families into it. Now, you're family. Your husband, your sons, they're all dead. If I know anything about them, then I know they, or all of you, did something to piss them off. So tell me, what did you do? You could be next! Do you want to end up like your family? Dead?"

"No! No! Franklin and Ben said they were done! They left after Steven died! Joined the Navy! They wouldn't have been able to join if they found out that they were part of the Mafia, so they cut all their ties. The Navy was their life, the-they wouldn't do anything to ruin their chances. Please, believe me, you have to find my sons killers!" she said sobbing.

"Then you have to help me. I can't help you without you helping me. Your husband didn't die in a car crash, and if he did, he didn't die in an accident, did he?" Alex asked, her tone becoming a little gentler, the edge gone.

Mrs. McKinley nodded, her face buried in her hands. "Steven said they wanted money, but he refused, saying that he couldn't because it was all going to the kid's colleges. Three weeks later he said that someone was following him. A month later, we got a call, saying he had been killed in a car crash. Ben was sure it was the Mafia, he wanted to confront them, but he didn't. I begged him not to, saying that I couldn't bury my son as well as my husband. So he cut all ties with them, joined the Navy. That's all I know, I swear!" she said looking at Alex with pleading eyes.

Alex put a hand over the older woman's and then got up, heading out the room towards the others.

"What do you think Nate? Is she telling the truth?" she asked looking at the psychologist.

"With her body language, and facial expressions, it means she was clearly surprised. Her voice, it sounds honest and she is clearly upset, not only by the news of losing both her sons, but she is still mourning the loss of her husband after six years" Nate said.

"Nate…" Alex said impatiently.

"Yes, I think she's telling the truth" Nate said.

Callen and I exchanged looks.

"That means not only are we looking for her sons, two men in the Navy, killers…"

"We're most likely looking for her husband's murderer as well" Callen finished for me.

**Thanks for all the story alerts, story favorites, and even the occasional author alert. Thanks to everyone.**

**-Haleybug**


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer in Chapter One._

Chapter Four:

They let Mrs. McKinley head back to her home, two NCIS agents were assigned to protect her. Once she was gone the others headed back to headquarters.

"Miss Williams, can I see you in my office please?" Hetty asked as the agents and Nate came back from the boat shed. Alex nodded and headed towards the smaller woman's office, the others and Nate exchanging looks.

"What can I do for you Hetty?" Alex asked sitting down.

Hetty pushed a file towards her. Alex looked down and realized that it was her incident report from what happened in Ireland.

"I don't understand Hetty" she said looking up at the woman confused.

"You haven't finished your report Miss Williams. Now, I understand that you were in the hospital after receiving shrapnel damage from when the door was blown off from the explosion in the warehouse, but Director Vance has been pressing the issue. He wants this report completed soon. If you don't, he will be taking you off of this case" Hetty said.

Alex's eyes widened in shock and anger. "H-He can't. I'm the only one left who can do this!" she said standing up.

"I understand this Miss Williams, but the orders the Director gave me are clear. If you don't finish this report then you will be pulled off this case and Mr. Callen and his team will be working it alone" Hetty said.

Alex sighed. She had put it off long enough. "I'll finish it tonight Hetty" she promised before grabbing the file and walking out the office.

Callen and his team watched her as she came out, a file in her hand. She threw the file down on the desk she was using, which happened to be on the other side of Callen's and then headed over to Kensi who had walked over to the coffee maker.

The two then began to talk quietly with one another.

"Navy Lieutenant Mark Hanson is still stationed out at Camp Pendleton, Alex. But, if you're going to talk to him you need to hurry. He's shipping out in two days" Kensi said.

"Thanks Kensi, do you know where he's headed?" Alex asked.

Kensi shook her head. "Sorry Alex, that's all my sources were able to tell me" she said before grabbing a cup of coffee and heading back over to the team which was currently in a deep discussion.

Alex watched them for a moment before quietly grabbing her jacket and slipping out the door. This was probably going to be the only time she would be able to do this. They wouldn't look for her; at least she didn't think they would. As she drove she turned off her phone so Eric wouldn't be able to trace it, not that they would go to that extent of looking for her.

Callen looked up from the discussion. "Where's Alex?" he asked looking around the building. She was nowhere to be found. The others looked around as well.

"I thought she was over by the coffee pot" Deeks said.

Hetty came out of her office and said "Miss Williams walked out the door while the four of you were all in your deep discussion".

. . .

_Camp Pendleton:_

Alex sat in her car looking at the house that she was parked in front of, trying to get the courage to get out and go inside. It had been a long time since she had last seen him, he had probably forgotten who she was. Maybe she didn't though, after all, she was responsible for his brother's murder.

Taking a breath she sighed and got out. If she didn't do this now, she never would, and in two days it would be too late. She grabbed the wooden box with intricate carvings on it off the passenger seat and headed up the drive.

Alex's hand froze in midair as she went to knock. Suddenly she became fearful. What if he didn't want to hear what she had to say? What if he hated her after she did everything in her power to protect his brother? Pushing the thoughts out of her head she knocked.

The door opened and a man with hazel eyes like his brothers opened the door. He stood proud, tall and straight, like any Marine would. His hair was cut in the usual military haircut.

A look of surprise came over his face. "Miss Williams? What are you doing here?" he asked surprised.

Alex couldn't help but smile, the man was a few years younger than her, but he still insisted on calling her Miss Williams.

"I thought you wouldn't remember me. Can I come in, I have something I think belongs to you" she said quietly.

"Of course" he said holding the door open and letting her in.

She stopped just inside the door and Lieutenant Mark Hanson motioned her to follow him into the living room. It was a comfortable one, but like most military homes. Everything was in it's right place, no mess could be seen.

She sat down on the edge of the couch and saw Mark sit down beside her. His eyes went to the wooden box that was sitting in her lap.

"This was your brothers. He left it with me…in case anything ever happened to him. I promised I would get this to you, but with me just getting released from the hospital, and this being my first trip back to Los Angeles since everything happened…I didn't have time until now" she explained running her hands over the carvings before handing it over.

Mark hesitantly took it, unsure of what his response should be. His brother, Thomas Hanson had been killed doing his job months ago. The service had been closed, and he didn't get much detail on what had happened or how his brother had died. All he was told was that his brother died a hero, along with almost all the rest of his team. The only one who had survived was their leader, Alex Williams, who he had met briefly when he went to go visit his brother a few years back.

He didn't know what to say to the young woman who was obviously still mourning the loss of her team, just as he was mourning for his brother.

"What's inside?" he finally asked.

"I don't know, he never told me. He just wanted me to give it to you" she said before standing up. He stood with her.

"I should be going" she said and Mark nodded walking her to the door. Alex stopped on the front steps and turned back to the Navy Lieutenant. "Your brother shouldn't have died, none of them should have died, but I promise, I will find the people who did this, and they will pay" she said before walking out into the night.

Alex headed back to the OSP headquarters and saw that almost everyone was gone, even Hetty had left for the night. She sighed and went over to the paperwork that was on her desk. She knew she would probably be pulling an all-nighter, especially when she had to relive those horrific few minutes it took for her team to be gone and her to by lying underneath a door blown off its hinges by a bomb.

She opened the file and began to write. There was only one reason she was doing this report in the first place, and that was so she could catch the people who were making her fill these papers out.

**Okay so I am SO sorry for not being able to update anymore. I was slightly stuck for a while, that and I was doing schoolwork. I have exams coming up for my semester classes so I don't know when I'll get another chapter out, but here's the fourth. I hope this one lives up to your expectations. And I am currently racking my brain on trying to find something to write for Callen's Old Flame. It's just taking a little longer than usual so please bear with me. Thanks!**

**-Haleybug**


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer is in the first chapter._

Chapter Five:

Callen walked back into the OSP later that night, he hadn't been able to sleep, especially not with Alex still being out, and no one knowing where she was. He was pretty sure Kensi knew, and that it had something to do with their conversation by the coffee pot earlier, but Kensi wasn't talking.

He stopped when he saw Alex sitting at the desk beside his. She was bent over a file writing quickly in her graceful way, her slanting script making its way legibly onto the page. Callen could only see her profile, but he could tell she was tense; her body was so tense that he was sure it hurt her muscles.

He quietly went over and sat down beside her, Alex didn't seem to know that he was there; she continued writing and Callen could make out the words at the top of her report. _Ireland._

No wonder she was so tense, she was filling out the report that had caused her teams death, leaving her the sole survivor.

"You don't have to do this" he said quietly, his hand reaching out to lay over hers as it rested on the desk, the pen motionless for now.

"Yes I do, the Director's orders were clear. I do the report and file it, or I'm off the case, and as good as you guys are, I have to be a part of this, to make sure they get justice" she said turning her eyes to look at him.

Callen saw they were filled with sorrow and pain. The anger that Callen felt towards her was gone in a instant when he saw the tortured look deep inside her soul. Without thinking, he brought her into his arms, trying to comfort her best he could.

Alex didn't resist, even though she knew she should. They couldn't go back to the way they were before, not when he had nearly died for her. She wasn't going to let someone else she cared about, especially someone she cared so deeply about die for her, not again. Alex felt safe in his arms, the first time since she left the hospital and left Ireland behind.

"I can't do this anymore. My team is dead, maybe, if it wasn't me they wouldn't be dead" Alex whispered sadly, her face buried in Callen's muscular chest.

"There's no way we would ever know. I felt the same way when Dom died. I was the lead agent, I should have trained him, and made sure he understood the risks and knew how to get out. He was a rookie, I was an experience agent, I blamed myself" he said softly his head resting on hers.

"I should be dead with them" she said looking at him sadly.

"If you were, then there would be no one here to catch the men who did this. You're here to find closure for your team. They weren't rookie agents Alex, they were experienced, they knew the risks just like I do and just like you do. They died protecting their country, but they also died protecting you" Callen said pulling her back into his comforting embrace, her head on his chest.

Then, the NCIS agent who had kept it together for so long, even through the funerals and speeches, and therapy, wept in Callen's arms.

Slowly, the walls he had put up to guard his heart from this woman began to fall. With each sob another part of the wall fell down, until it finally left a wall that was barely standing.

. . .

Alex got up from her short nap on the sofa and headed towards her desk to grab the file. She felt better, especially after she got the crying off her chest. Snatching it up she headed towards Hetty's office where she found the small woman sipping a cup of tea. Alex placed it on the desk in front of her and Hetty's eyebrows rose.

"You completed the report" she stated. Alex simply nodded as Hetty grabbed the file and thumbed through it making sure it was complete. NCIS had nothing on the matter until now. This would be a great value not only to the agents in Ireland, but NCIS agents everywhere.

"Thank you Miss Williams" Hetty said as she placed the file on the desk beside her, Alex turned around to leave. "Mr. Callen and his team are in Ops if you are looking for them" Hetty said. Alex nodded again and then headed over to the coffee maker to get some type of caffeine in her system after the all-nighter she pulled.

When she got there she found Callen holding a cup of coffee towards her. She took it gratefully and took a large sip of the hot liquid.

"I never got to ask where you disappeared to last night" he said, his blue eyes surveying her.

"I had some business to take care of" she answered. Alex knew, even with what happened between them, that she could trust Callen, and she did, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to tell him everything just yet, just like he hadn't told her everything yet.

"Personal business or business?" he asked taking a sip of his own coffee.

Alex watched as Kensi, Deeks, and Sam came down the stairs talking loudly with each other as they headed over towards their desks. They looked happy; they looked like a real team, just like it had when she had been there. Her icy blues turned to look into Callen's and then admitted "Both" before she went to join the others.

Hetty materialized beside Callen moments later. He watched his team and Alex interact. For a few moments there, it looked like she had never left and never went through the hardships that she actually went through.

"She's not telling us something Hetty" he said looking at the short woman beside him.

"You're right Mr. Callen, but we'll give her some time. She's been through enough at this moment. When she is ready, she will tell us, but until then we will have to be patient" Hetty said wisely before heading back to her office. Callen went over and joined his team and Alex.

Suddenly, there came a sharp whistle and they all looked up to see Eric standing on the steps. "We got a hit on Aaron Michelson" he said.

Callen, Alex, Sam, Kensi, and Deeks exchanged glances before Alex headed up the stairs to join Eric and Nell in Ops while Callen, Sam, Kensi, and Deeks headed out the door towards the address that Eric had given them. Although Alex wanted to go with them she knew that her emotions would be in the way, and Aaron Michelson didn't need to see Liza Hemingway back from the dead. If he did, then Ian Hemingway would be after her next, and she would surely be taken off the case, and that couldn't happen.

**Another chapter has finally arrived! Yay! I feel accomplished, thankfully it is a four day weekend for me so I will have time to update since I have no school. Hopefully my brain will begin to think of something else for Callen's Old Flame. If you have any suggestions as to what you would like to happen next in that story as well as this one message me. I will gladly take any suggestions. Thanks for all the story alerts, story favorites, and author alerts as well as reviews! My heart is filled with happiness! **

**-Haleybug**


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer in the first chapter._

Chapter Six:

Alex watched as Callen and his team got to the address that Eric said Aaron Michelson was staying at. Someone had turned the live feed on and she watched intently.

"Kensi, Deeks, go around back" she heard Callen say, and then footsteps left.

She grabbed the headset that Eric held out to her and put it on. "Remember, we want him alive. He's the only one who can lead us to Ian Hemingway" she said into the headset.

"We know Alex" Callen said and she saw gun appear.

"Aaron Michelson is dangerous, even if you don't think so. Be careful guys" Alex said as she heard Callen say "Go" and Sam kicked in the door. She watched as they rushed in, quickly clearing the room.

"Check the second floor and the offices carefully" Alex advised. She got a grunt of acknowledgment from Sam and Callen as they took her advice. Then there was the sound of gunfire and she watched Callen, Sam, Kensi, and Deeks take cover.

Alex hoped that they would be safe and catch Aaron Michelson. He was the biggest lead they had on this case. He was the only one that could lead them to Ian Hemingway.

She heard shouting a then a man came running towards Sam and Callen, a gun brandished in front of him. Alex's eyes widened in realization at what they would do.

"Callen! Sam no!" she shouted, but she heard the shots from their guns ring out and she watched them enter Aaron Michelson's body before he fell to the ground, the gun falling from his hands.

Kensi walked up, her gun trained on him as she kicked the gun away from his hands. She reached down and felt for a pulse. "He's gone Alex" Kensi said looking into the camera.

"Damn!" Alex shouted angrily throwing the headset on the table and storming out of the room.

She headed towards the women's locker-room and changed into a pair of workout clothes she had brought with her. Exiting the locker-room she headed over to the nearest punching bag and started taking out her anger on it.

. . .

Callen heard Alex's shout through his earpiece and knew the others had too. After Aaron Michelson's body had been taken to the morgue, they headed back to headquarters. When they entered the door he headed for Ops but didn't find Alex there.

"Where's Alex?" he asked. Eric and Nell exchanged looks before shrugging.

Callen headed down the stairs and towards the gym. If Alex was mad then that was most likely where she was at, that way she could be able to take her anger out on a punching bag, instead of someone's face.

He was right. Alex was in a fighting position, and she was taking out her anger on one of the punching bags. Callen leaned against the door and watcher her for a few moments, her long blonde hair swaying with every move she made. He walked towards her.

"He had a gun Alex" Callen said quietly. He listened to the sounds of her fist hit the punching bag.

"You could have easily taken him down with your fist" she said softly, the bag vibrating from the force she was putting behind each punch.

"I couldn't risk my team getting harmed. Can't you see that?" Callen asked.

Alex whipped around swigging a left hook at him. Callen easily caught it and then pulled her arm behind her back, forcing her into close proximity with him.

"He was the only one who could lead us to my team's killer! Can't _you _see that?" she asked, anger making her words bite at him.

Callen felt Alex's body mold easily with his, as it use to, but this was different, she was leaning into him because she loved him, she was leaning into him because she was giving up. Alex, the woman Callen thought would never give up on anything in her life, was slowly letting the death of her team eat away at her. Callen was sure that if it continued, then the woman he knew and loved wouldn't be here much longer, she would slowly drift away until she wasn't herself anymore.

Callen wasn't going to let that happen.

He turned her to face him and grabbed her chin between his two fingers and forced her to look up at him. He could see the defeat slowly making its way through towards the surface.

"We will find your team's killer Alex, I promise we will" he said softly. He saw the look of doubt flash through her eyes before she pushed it down again.

She walked away from him and went to stand at the window, looking out at the sunny Los Angeles air. Callen could see her profile clearly, and he could see that she was tense. Her hands clenched the windowsill.

Finally, she turned back around to look at him. Sadness was in her eyes, and he knew the Alex with the tortured and guilty soul had returned.

"How long G? How long before you catch him? How long before you and your team end up dead because of me, just like mine did?" she whispered, sadness deep in the depths of her eyes.

Then, before he could respond, Alex turned and walked away.

Callen didn't do anything to stop her; he didn't have the right response. Hell, he didn't even know how he was suppose to reach her when she was grieving this much. He sighed. He knew what he had to do.

Walking out of the gym he headed towards Ops where he found Nell and Eric. They looked at him curiously, wondering what he was doing up here. "Pull Nate up on screen guys, and then head downstairs, I need a few minutes with him" Callen said as Eric and Nell typed away.

Soon, a picture of a man with curly dark brown hair appeared, sitting in the gear that was needed for the fighting in the Middle East. The OSP's old operation psychologist was clearly surprised to see him. Callen never did like for Nate to try and get in his head. Eric and Nell left, the doors closing behind them, leaving Callen and Nate staring at each other on the screen.

"What can I do for you Callen?" Nate asked.

"Alex is back, and she's not acting like herself Nate. She's hiding something" Callen said.

"Alex was always a secretive person Callen; you of all people know that. How is her hiding something so different from when it was back then?" Nate asked. Then Callen explained what happened to Alex and her team in Ireland.

"She, the old Alex, is slipping away Nate. I'm afraid that if she doesn't get closure of some sort she'll never be the same again. How can I help her Nate?" he asked.

**And….another chapter. So, how was it? I thought that maybe it was time for Callen to start getting worried about her, deep down he still loves her, but Alex has a lot of problems with trust and she's still trying to deal with the fact that she blames herself for her teams deaths. She's just complicated at the moment, but I promise, the two will end up together by the end…maybe…possibly… Let me know (that means hitting the little review button below) and the next chapter should be out soon. Thanks everyone for all the support on this story and all my others.**

**-Haleybug**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

Nate had said that the only way to get Alex to come back to them, meaning as her old self, then she would have to get justice. Callen hoped that he could get her that, it was the least he could do, after all the hell she had already been put through.

Callen watched her, she sat at her desk, listening to Deeks account on the whole shooting. She didn't say a word, she didn't react, she just sat there.

With no other leads for the rest of the night the team was free to go. Alex quickly left headquarters, Callen reluncantly agreed to join his team at a bar to get a drink or two. What he wasn't expecting as they walked in the doors of the bar, was to see Alex sitting at the bar, a glass clutched tightly in her hand, her head bowed over the glass.

Callen couldn't see her expression, her blonde hair fell in her face. He immediately forgot the team and headed over to her.

"Didn't expect to see you here" she said as he walked up, surprising him. He didn't think that she had been paying attention.

"We would have invited you, but you left before we had a chance" he answered taking a sit and ordering a beer.

"I prefer to drink alone these days" she answered turning to look at him.

"Good thing I'm going to ignore that today" he answered taking a sip from the bottle. Out the corner of his eye he saw the smallest of smiles cross her face.

"You and your team come here often?" Alex asked nodding her head in the direction of the others. He looked over and saw that Sam, Kensi, Deeks, Nell, and Eric were watching them intently.

"Our team" he corrected her.

"Not for much longer" she answered draining the glass in her hand and then calling the bartender over to refill it.

Callen looked at his team and shook his head. Alex wasn't up to joining them tonight.

"Go back to your team Callen, I'm fine" she answered seeming to read his thoughts.

"I'm not going to leave you here alone" he argued, noticing the looks guys around the bar had been giving her. Callen couldn't help but be jealous.

"Good thing you won't be. I'm leaving" she said placing some money down on the bar after draining her other glass. Then she got up from the bar.

"Let me drive you home" he said noticing that her car hadn't been out in the parking lot. Alex shook her head, muttered something about getting a cab, and then walked out the door leaving Callen standing there. He thought about going after her, and he did, but by the time he got outside her cab was already disappearing down the block.

Callen headed back in and took a seat beside his friends. "How are we going to help her?" Sam asked.

"There's only way Alex can be helped, and that's by showing her Ian Hemingway is dead" he answered taking another sip from the bottle while his five friends and co-workers exchanged glances.

. . .

Callen walked into headquarters the next morning. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, it was just another work day, except for the fact that Deeks had his head down on his desk, most likely nursing a hangover. Callen hadn't stuck around for long, so he didn't know how many drinks Deeks had had.

"Bad night?" Callen asked, directing the question more to Kensi then Deeks.

"Ugh..." came Deeks reply while his partner nodded her head and mouthed the word 'Very' while his head was down.

"You should really learn to hold you liquor Deeks" came a voice and Deeks head raised to look at Alex who was currently holding a cup of coffee in her hands, and despite the glasses of strong liquor she had had last night, seemed normal.

"How can you be so sober" Deeks groaned laying his head back down on his desk.

"I know how to hold my liquor unlike _some people" _she answered before going over to her desk and logging onto her computer. Another groan from Deeks was his reply.

A few minutes later we heard a crash and looked over to Alex. Her coffee cup had shattered on the ground, the hot drink inside spreading out on the floor. Her face was frozen, she didn't move. Then suddenly everything happened.

She put her gun in the holster on her back and headed towards the door saying "Some contacts of mine just spotted Ian Hemingway at the Grand". Callen exchanged looks with the others, including a now somewhat sober Deeks, and followed her out the doors.

They were surprised to see her waiting for them, leaning against Sam's Challenger impatiently. Alex quickly got into the backseat of the Challenger while Callen and Sam got in the front.

Kensi and Deeks got into her car and they sped off towards the Grand.

"What's the plan Alex?" Sam asked, looking at her in the rearview mirror as they sped off down the road.

"Honestly? The plan is to catch Ian Hemingway and hope no one else gets killed" she answered.

**Sorry for such the long wait, but my computer decided to crash on me, with all of my stories, so now I had to go and retype everything. Anyway, here's the seventh chapter. Don't forget to hit the little review button and tell me what you think. **

**-Haleybug**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I decided that since I neglected this story longer than I should (and you guys) that I would post another chapter to make up for it. Who knows, maybe Alex will get her revenge?**

Chapter Eight:

Twenty minutes later they pulled into The Grand and the four NCIS agents and LAPD liasion exited their vehicles. Alex looked at the hotel, her eyes roaming over it. She pushed off the side of Sam's Challenger and headed towards the doors, Callen at her side, Sam, Kensi, and Deeks following close behind.

She realized the moment they walked through the doors that they weren't dressed appropriately, but at that moment, she didn't care, even with the stares she and the others got from the staff and other guest.

All she cared about was getting justice for her team and ending Ian Hemingway.

"Let's check the resturant, he'll probably be doing his buisness deal there. That way he has witnesses around" she said and Callen nodded.

"What exactly is he wanted for?" Kensi asked as they walked towards the back of the hotel.

"International arms dealing, human trafficking, you name it, Ian Hemingway has his hands in it" she answered.

"What were you working on when you were undercover?" Sam asked.

Alex glanced over at him and said "I was supposed to find how he was smuggling arms into the United States. I connected the Navy personnel and then I found out about the human trafficking, the drug smuggling, and others. I needed to stick around to get the evidence to confirm it, when I did, that's when everything went wrong".

They made it to the resturant and at the doors Alex stopped and froze. Callen could see her body tense, her hands curled into fist. He followed her gaze and he found a man with brown hair, his back turned to them, talking to another man.

Slowly the man turned around and he locked eyes with Alex. His face turned pale, and his eyes widened in shock. "Liza..." he whispered. Of course, the agents couldn't hear him, but they knew exactly what he said.

"Ian" Alex whispered, her voice low and deadly.

That's when the chaos started.

_Irlenad, Four Years Earlier:_

_NCIS Special Agent Alex Williams sat in a small pub in a small village in Ireland, drowning her sorrows with a bottle of the strongest alcohol they had. She had only been in Ireland for a few days and already she missed NCIS Special Agent G Callen._

_She shook her head, no, she wasn't just missing Callen, she was missing the whole team as well. She had yet to meet her new team, the one she was destined to lead. Alex hoped she could, she was one of the youngest agents in history to lead their own team, and she didn't want to screw it up._

_Suddenly a man slid into the bar stood beside her. "Most American women don't drink something that strong while here" the man commented, his Irish accent coming out._

_Alex turned to look at him. "How did you know I was from America?" she asked._

_The corner of the man's lips turned up in a smile. He gestured around him at the others in the bar and said "You don't exactly fit in around here. I'm Ian Hemingway", and held out his hand._

_"Liza Myers" she answered shaking his hand after hearing the name. Her alias was set up and ready to go, and this was just the person it was made for. Alex was pretty sure that they wouldn't mind her starting her assignment a few days earlier than planned..._

Ian took off running, pushing past people. Callen immediately followed him, Alex still frozen in place, then she took off after Callen, and after the man who was responsible.

Sam and Kensi took down the bodyguards while Deeks went after the man that Ian Hemingway had been talking to.

Alex kept Callen in her sight as she followed them. Ian pushed open the door that led to the stairwell and began running up the stairs when he realized that his bodyguards weren't coming to protect him anytime soon.

Alex fell behind as they ran up the stairs. She didn't know how many stairs they ran up, but finally, Ian pushed open the door and ran out onto the roof.

Alex squinted and pushed past Callen and whipped out her gun, training it on him.

"Liza, your alive" Ian said softly, watching her, his hands raised in surrender.

"You're going to wish I wasn't" Alex said her gun trained on him, her finger inches from the trigger.

Callen stepped forward, knowing what she wanted to do, knowing that she would do it, if given the chance.

"Alex, don't" he said softly coming to stand beside her, an hand resting on her arm that was holding the gun, poised to kill.

"He killed my men Callen..he deserves to die" Alex whispered, never looking away from Ian Hemingway, never faltering, ready to pull the trigger without hestitation.

"Yes, you're right, he does, but think about it Alex. Is this what your men would've wanted? For you to kill him? For him to die, and not be charged with the crimes he's committed? For you to end up in jail for killing him? If you do, you'll be just like him" Callen said softly.

"Either way he'll die, with all the charges against him he'll die in prison" Alex said trying to convince Callen to let her pull the trigger to end the man's life.

"Yes, but that would be the easy way out for him, now wouldn't it?" Callen asked softly.

Alex didn't answer.

"Ali...give me the gun" Callen whispered softly in her ear. He saw her hesitate and then she slowly dropped the gun to her side, handing it over to Callen.

He took the gun, and before he could stop her, Alex jumped forward towards Ian.

**I hope that chapter made up for the neglect. I would love some reviews ;)**

**-Haleybug**


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